Heart of Two Stones
by SpicyKitten
Summary: Ginny Weasley is having a hard enough time dealing with the after math of the war she doesn't need the grief Draco Malfoy is about to give her. A bet and a few kisses later everyone is in an uproar.
1. The Shaky Deal

The sun was setting; everyone was either in the Great Hall or just arriving. Ginny Weasley and her friends had been there for some time. They were working on a Charms essay assigned that day, due in a week. Actually, Ginny was gazing out a window not disturbed until her friend caught her attention by speaking rather loudly.

"You know Gin a guy won't fancy you if you can't even pay attention OUTSIDE of class," this remark caught the attention of several people surrounding the group. Mostly they were boys who had expressions saying, 'Yes we would.'

Ginny jumped at the sound of her friend's voice. "Oh sorry, we were writing something right? Damn you've finished it haven't you?" All the girls had looks of interest on their faces. Their eyes weren't on Ginny, but on the people who had just walked through the door. It was Draco Malfoy with Pansy Parkinson hanging on his arm.

"Hey Gin! You know none of the teachers have arrived yet? You could sneak a curse over to that slag. You know, get revenge." Her friend was referring to getting revenge for when Pansy and her gang of Slytherins were taunting a few first-years, and Ginny was making her rounds as she saw this, she is a Prefect. She rounded on them and in the midst of telling them off Pansy hit her with a curse.

"I would do it, but I doubt Malfoy'd let me near her," the bitterness in her voice was obvious. She had hated both of them. Probably Pansy more than Malfoy, but as a member of the Weasley family she was expected to hate Malfoys the most. Ron however took family rivalry to a new level. He loathed Malfoy and all of the other gits in Slytherin.

"Get Harry to get him," Harry was the one who helped Ginny out of the tight spot. Hermione accompanied him. Whenever Hermione made her Head-Girl patrols Harry would go with her. Everyone was glad they had got their relationship out of the open.

"I wouldn't like to trouble him," truth was that Harry would kill Draco if he heard Draco was disturbing Ginny. Harry and Ginny had gone out, but it was too weird because Ginny was like Harry's sister. When Harry and Hermione started to go out they asked for Ginny's blessing. She thought it was so cute since it was Harry's idea.

Her friends wouldn't hear of it, but before they could protest aloud an awful shriek came from across the room. They all turned to see Pansy Parkinson with a huge pimple on her forehead, holding a letter in front of her. At first it appeared to be a horn, but sure enough it was a pimple. The laughter in the Hall was great. Almost everyone thought it was funny. Of course the Slytherins had nothing to say. It was until Ginny's pals made a connection from the letter to the pimple to Ginny. All of Ginny's friends looked from Pansy back to Ginny. They knew she had sent the curse. And apparently so did Pansy.

"I'll get you for this Weasley. I'll make you pa-," she was cut of by a curse Ginny sent flying towards her. When Pansy opened her mouth, to obviously say the curse was not affective, all that came out were bubbles. The Hall roared with laughter, even Malfoy and a few Slytherins managed a grin. Pansy noticing Malfoy grinning, tried to yell at Ginny. Instead of curses coming out, the Great Hall was filled with bubbles.

"That's a big improvement. I'd like to see you hex your way out of there, Parkinson." All the laughing turned slightly more into cheering. Almost alls girls hated Pansy; few were lucky enough to have never met her. Ginny would have stayed and laughed at Pansy, but realized the time and got up. The thing that amused her most was that Pansy flinched when Ginny got up thinking Ginny was going to attack again. Ginny instead got her things all gathered up, and then Ginny was off, she had work to do and not enough time to do it.

The library was quiet except from the shushing Madame Pince was giving out. She had her eye on a group of second-year boys huddled closely. Ginny was working on her essay. She was reading a book when a dark shadow crept over her. She looked up to see the very same boy she had seen escorted Pansy in the Great Hall.

Expecting a telling-off Ginny was quite surprised to hear him ask her something, "You finished with that book?" His eyes weren't looking at her, but surveying the library.

"No, now shove off."

"Oh Weasley I think you've hurt me."

"If only I could," she was tired and Draco was just delaying her from finishing up and going to bed. "Tell you what come see me in, oh let's say, 10, 15 minutes and I'll be finished."

"Stop screwing around, I NEED that book!" He was fuming, but he couldn't let her get him too angry.

Ginny's brow raised, she was very suspicious. "You've covered these charms so you'll have to wait. Anyway why do you need them?"

"My business is my own, but if you say I have to wait I'll wait." with that he plopped down on the chair opposite Ginny, staring at her.

Ginny felt his eyes on her and put down the book. "Well I'm sorry, but unless I have the right motivation I might not be able to finish in time."

It took him a few seconds to realize what she meant. At first, he thought she was coming on to him. He shivered at the thought. He knew she was as stubborn as a mule, just like her brother. "I am just having trouble in Charms, that is all."

'_That is not bloody-well all and you very well know it,'_ Ginny thought. "Get a tutor, don't make it my problem. I already have too much trouble with your git-of-a-girlfriend."

"A Malfoy, have a tutor? No way, my family wouldn't allow it."

"Meaning no one wants to bare your company?"

"Your one to talk. You need the book as well."

"I have an excuse: I am just learning the stuff. Unlike you, you're just too proud to ask anyone to help."

Malfoy knew a challenge anywhere. Though, it was not apparent to the challenger. He turned his head to scan the room to look for any wondering eyes or extended ears. He found none. "If you're so smart then you tutor me."

"What?" Ginny was completely taken aback. '_Where did this come from? He is off his rocker.' _

"We'll make it a bet. If you can get me to pass charms, with respectable grades, I'll keep Pansy off your back. If you lose then you have to admit I am smarter than you." He stuck out his hand waiting for Ginny to grasp it. His eyes flickered as she hesitated.

Ginny did not know where her next actions came from, but the words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself, "Fine." She gripped his hand. Expecting a brutal force on her tiny hand she felt a soft squeeze and then he let go.

Malfoy got up and then sarcastically bowed to Ginny and walked out.

'_If he does that in the halls I hope he doesn't expect me to curtsey. I'll knock his head off.'_

Tossing and turning in her sleep didn't allow Ginny to get much sleep, and she needed it. The next day was Quidditch practice. She gave up on sleep and decided to catch an early breakfast. She wasn't the only one who decided to do so. As she entered the Great Hall she saw both the Gryffindor and Slytherin Quidditch teams dressed. At the head table Professors McGonagall and Snape were eyeing each other with looks of anger, though it was well concealed. She saw each team huddled together whispering.

"Oi Ginny!" shouted one of the chasers loudly. This call turned many heads. Mostly people who wanted to see who was being shouted at, but the Gryffindor team looked up. Ginny noticed two heads look up from the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini. Both of them had a large grin on their face. She walked over to her team and was pulled into the discussion.

"To put it shortly, we have to share the pitch with Slytherin today." Harry wasn't looking too pleased.

There was not uproar, but just the simple question, "why?"

"Well Dumbledore says to promote inter-house friendship, and since we share the pitch when we play. My guess is there was a mix-up with booking the pitch and McGonagall and Snape left it to Dumbledore to decide." Just then there was uproar at the spot where the Slytherin team sat. As the Slytherin team all swarmed Draco all the girls on the Gryffindor team laughed, all that is except for Ginny. When Draco looked up and he made eye contact with her, but it was broke when Blaise japed him hard in the ribs. Everyone saw the staring and started to round on Ginny.

"It's nothing, we just have a bet going on."

The rush of the wind through her hair felt like freedom. The only thing that could spoil her moment happened. The Slytherin team came onto the pitch. Harry went over to Malfoy to talk about the arrangements.

"Malfoy."

"Potter."

"Well what side do you want," Ginny and Ron came to the ground and stood at either side of Harry. The beaters were behind Harry, and the remaining chasers were hovering above them throwing around the quaffle.

"We get the south side and you get the north."

"Fine then, but no bludgers headed towards my team and no tackling."

"You sound like Hooch. Just keep your team away from ours." With that Malfoy turned to Ginny and gave her the same bow he had given her in the library. "Have a nice day."

Harry looked down at Ginny and said, "Part of your 'bet'?"

Blushing madly she nodded. They all mounted their brooms and sent off in the air. Ginny and the rest of the chasers were zooming around passing the quaffle to one another, and trying to trick Ron by getting the quaffle passed him. He let it pass twice out of 7 shots. Ginny, who glanced often at the Slytherins, saw Malfoy point at her and whisper with that friend of his Blaise Zabini.

"Gin, you and the other chasers practice difficult movements. You know loops, dives, and whatnot. Ron, you and me are going to practice with the beaters by chucking balls at them. Then you, Ron, can throw a tennis ball around so I can catch it." The team understood their assignments. The practice was going very well. Then, all of a sudden, Ginny heard a yelp of pain coming from the Slytherin side of the pitch and stopped in mid-air. Before she could get away Blaise Zabini came crashing into her. Ginny of course was okay, but Blaise was bleeding. Badly.

"Harry! Help, I think he is knocked out," she shouted across the pitch. She slowly descended. She sat down on her knees, with Zabini on her lap. His eyes were open but his face was emotionless. She was scared, truly scared. At that moment, someone lifted Blaise off of her. Ginny looked up expecting to see Ron or Harry, but instead she saw Draco with Zabini over his shoulder.

"Sorry, but I can't bow to you I am afraid he'll fall off." He was enjoying embarrassing her in front of everyone. Though the prospect of Malfoy bowing to her again in front of everyone was ill, she laughed at his attempt at a joke.

She lend to his ear and said rather loudly, "Bow to me again and I'll hex your legs off."

"Tempting."

It was 8:30 at night, and he was late. Ginny knew he'd pull a stunt like this. She was sitting in the room of requirements on a pile of pillows. There were books, empty boxes, feathers, two tables made of oak, and even an assortment of small animals. The room had everything to practice Charms.

"Well you showed I'll give you that much," a voice rang throughout the room. Ginny let out a gasp. She turned in every direction and saw no one there. "You're not scared, are you?" It was Draco's voice.

"Take off the cloak or no deal," she was smarter than him. She knew he had an invisibility cloak because he would always brag how expensive of a gift it was.

"Well you've spoiled my fun." He was leaning on the bookcase, his face half covered in shadow. "So what are we doing today?"

"YOU are gonna try to banish pillows." She went over to the spot she was sitting and took the piece of paper she was writing on. "Here these are proper instructions."

He took the paper, read it, then picked up a pillow and placed it on the long wooden table and tried to banish it. Instead, he banished the box he wanted the pillow to go into. He felt his hand being lowered so that it was level with the pillow. A small whisper came into his ear. "You're aiming at the box when you want to be aiming at the pillow. Remember, position yourself so when you banish the pillow it goes straight." he turned around as Ginny let go of his hand.

Ginny had nothing to do so she set herself up and try to practice summoning charms. It was going fairly well. Draco hadn't hurt someone or broken anything, yet. Then, just as he pointed his wand and spoke the incantation, he slipped and his spell sent Ginny flying.

She landed in the pile of pillows, but her head banged hard against the wall. Draco walked over to her and lifted her head. "Hm. You've quite a bump now." He didn't show any signs of apologizing. He put one of his hands on her wrist and the other around her waist. With one pull she was up and on her feet. When she was balanced she pulled away from him she almost slipped. He was still holding her helping her balance herself. "Your welcome."

"Shove it. It's your fault I got hurt." At that moment Draco took a second to think about what she said.

"Right then," with that he let go of her. Which was a mistake because she lacked proper support and fell immediately. She landed hard on her backside. Draco walked over to the pillows and began to banish them.

"Fine then, be that way." Got up and was heading over to her pile of pillows that were stacked because she summoned so many, and started to banish them. After a while Ginny said that she had to go and that Draco could stay there if he wanted to. As she walked out of the door she said quietly, "Thank you for helping me up."

When she left the room Draco quietly muttered, "Sorry about hitting you with my spell."


	2. Messages and Meetings

2- "Messages and Meetings"

Ginny got back late and she fell asleep as soon as she had laid her head down. When she woke up she wasn't too keen on speaking to anyone. When she entered the Great Hall, Zabini was leaving. When he saw her he simply bowed and said, "Thank you for your help." The grin on his face wasn't happy, but rather evil. Ginny knew something was going on. She quickly walked away and took a seat next to Hermione and Harry. Ron and Lavender were sitting across from them.

"Are you okay?" Lavender was leaning in, smiling such a false smile. Ginny knew she just wanted to hear what was going on in Ginny's life.

"I'm fine," she would have asked if everyone had a good morning, but the owl post had come in. As she, and everyone else, looked up she saw a black owl descending towards her. When it landed in front of her everyone was staring. She felt the eyes on her like daggers. The owl lifted it leg and Ginny took the letter. "Thanks, I think,' she offered the owl something to eat, but it refused and spread its wings and took off. The envelope she held in her hands had something written on it:

Open Privately

"What's that?" Ron leaned over to Ginny, but she was too quick for him. She held the envelope to her chest.

"Go away!" She was fuming. Ron, offended, left her alone. Ginny got up and left the Great Hall. When she got to the large marble stairs she looked around to check to see if the coast was clear.

'_What is this?' _She ripped open the envelope to find two pieces of parchment, and a feather. She took out one of the pieces of parchment and read it in a whisper:

I can't make the meeting tonight. Re-schedule it for tomorrow night. Blaise has some emergency.

She made a mental note of that and opened the second piece of parchment. Surprisingly it was wrapped around a rose. She took the rose and read the letter.

Sorry about hitting you with the curse and dropping you.

"Who sent this?" She was eyeing the feather as though it were a clue (A/N I know it is soo obvious that a monkey could figure it out, but something you should remember is some people are dumb in the morning. Am I foreshadowing? I don't know. Do you?) . Many people have made attempts to curse her. And many people meaning Pansy Parkinson.

"I thought you'd figure it out, with the feather and all." Malfoy had exited the Great Hall, and was making his way over to Ginny.

She laughed, "How cute. You sent me a letter apologizing."

"Cute? I have never been cute in my whole life. Except, maybe, when I was a baby, but not now." He was standing as ominous as ever in front of Ginny. His face was twisted into a smirk. He took a seat next to Ginny. "I'd love to that again." The sarcasism in his voice was louder than his words.

"Oh yeah. Next we can have a picnic. You invite Slytherin House and I invite Gryffindor House." Draco smiled at her attempt to return his sarcasism. "Listen, I've got to go"

It wasn't until Ginny looked up, that she noticed how close they were sitting to one another. Draco, noticing her silence, looked up at her. Suddenly realizing she was looking at him he quickly asked, "Why are you staring at me?"

"Um, I've got to go. See ya Draco." That was that first time she had called him by his first name. As she entered the Great Hall she noticed several eyes from Slytherin on her. She went over to the table at Gryffindor she had earlier abandoned. She sat in silence. Draco timed his entrance well, so no one would believe they were conversing with one another. It wasn't for a few minutes that she was interrupted.

"Ginny, it looks like you've got a visitor," Ron pointed behind her. There stood a first-year who looked as though he was afraid he was going to be attacked. His reasoning for this was obvious; he was a Slytherin, at a Gryffindor table.

"F-for a Ginny," the little boy was unable to show any bravery whatsoever. The boy opened his mouth again, probably to say who it was from, but Ginny grabbed the letter before he spoke.

"Shoo, go away!' she was in no mood to explain why Malfoy was sending her letters. As she opened it she read the contents to herself, making sure no one was looking over her shoulder.

Answer me this,

Why were you staring at me? Don't get any ideas Weasley.

-Just Guess

She looked appalled at the idea of coming on to Malfoy. Ginny looked up at Malfoy and was in shock to see him and Blaise laughing at her expression. The boy, she had noticed, had not left. She quickly scribbled a rude remark on the letter and told the boy to give it to whoever sent the letter.

"What did it say?" A question asked in unison around the group. Ron however was pulling away from leaning over from the letter, so Ginny flicked him on the nose and started to collect her stuff. As she got up she saw the boy return to his seat. She smiled at the fact he was acting so brave. Like he was telling his friends he had just confronted 3 dementors without whimpering. Her gaze drifted over to Malfoy, as she was leaving. He was staring at her. She immediately looked away. Neither was aware that someone else had noticed his or her glances at one another.

"Well you've got it now." Hermione was correcting Harry's charms essay. In which he chose any charm, and then he had to list and describe 5 other charms associated with it. "You've it right on the mark with this charm! Oh, try to be more specific when you describe the banishing charm."

"Thanks," he bent over and gave her a kiss. He put his essay down and began to think about what was wrong with Ginny. "You think something happened between Ginny and someone else. I mean she came back with a rose after reading that letter."

Hermione was taken aback. She never really gave much thought to it. "Well Ginny is pretty. I believe she might just have a few crushes."

"Like who?"

"Michael Orson, from Ravenclaw."

"The beater?"

"Yes. Well anyway, if anything did happen, I pity the poor soul who was sending her owls and stuff."

"Why?"

"Ron would kill them." They both shared a soft laugh. Hermione opened her mouth to add more, but the portrait hole swung open.

Ginny entered the common room without noticing she wasn't alone. She looked at her watch to see it was two o'clock. Cursing under her breath she rushed to go upstairs. Her thoughts were brought back to Draco. That night they tried a simple levitation charm. After Ginny picked on him for his poor pronunciation of the charm he lifted her into the air. She didn't scream, but laughed. She chuckled thinking about it.

"Ahem," Hermione cleared her throat to show Ginny she wasn't alone. Ginny wheeled around on the spot to face them.

"Fancy meeting you here," Ginny was still able to chuckle, but now she chuckled at her own stupidity. Her mind raced with thoughts. Did they wait for her? Did they know everything? The looks on their faces told Ginny that they didn't know she was not in her room or that she was tutoring Draco. "I was wondering around a little."

"That will get you in trouble. Understand? Fine then to bed with you," Hermione smiled as though nothing were wrong. After biding them goodnight, Ginny went upstairs. Harry had picked back up his essay and started to re-read it. Hermione turned to him and asked, "You believe her?"

"Not one bit."

Christmas holidays had arrived and more kids than usual had gone home. There was a little amount of students at Hogwarts at all. So little in fact, that all 4 tables for each house were gone and there was just one big table, plus the head table.

Ginny was sitting under the tree in the courtyard, wrapped in a scarf. She didn't notice the group of Slytherins that arrived. They were mostly seventh-year boys. They had started a snowball fight. Ginny was reading up on charms. She wanted to give Draco the most difficult one ever. That is if he would show up. She was very startled when one of the boys shouted at her.

"Oi, Gryffindor! Move it unless you want to eat snow," the boy was very rude and didn't even bother to look at her. He was so concerned about his snowball fight that Ginny just ignored him. But moments later he shouted, "Move it red."

"Shove off or I'll make you eat that snow," she was particularly upset because he hadn't heard from Draco in a week. She thought he should at least owl her that he wasn't going to show up.

"Fine, I'll make you move-"

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Blaise Zabini was standing next to Ginny with his wand out and one hand on the tree trunk. "Now don't you fellas know that it isn't nice to hit a woman?" The boys retorted with remarks like "What you gonna do about it" and "She is a Weasley". Blaise, on the other hand, was walking around them. When he finally got them to turn their heads and look at him, Ginny, who was still sitting at the tree, was pulled up and dragged away.

When she was able to get a clear view of who was dragging her she saw Draco. They ran down so many hallways that Ginny didn't know where they were going. It was when they stopped that she realized they were near the library. "Thanks, but why?"

"Blaise saw you reading, and then he saw the other guy yell at you. By this point we stopped in the hall to watch. When the guy pulled out his wand Blaise jumped in and that's when I grabbed you and brought you up here. Then you said 'thanks' and asked me why. So, now I am explaining everything to you." Ginny laughed. She knew he was trying to draw attention away from the fact that he had come to her rescue. She was actually even more curious about why Blaise had instructed Malfoy to help her. Why hadn't he just let her stay there and watch him beat up the Slytherins? She knew something was up.

"Sure, but I think you could of stopped at-" all of the sudden a water balloon hit her square on the head. They both looked up to see Peeves, with a load of water balloons.

"Peeves knock it off or I'll get the Bloody Baron." Malfoy's threat was inaudible due to the fact Peeves hit him with a water balloon.

"Quick in here. I just saw the Bloody Baron down the hall I'll get him, Peeves." Ginny grabbed Draco's hand and they quickly went in to the abandoned classroom next to them. They didn't know if Peeves left or ignored the threat because they were in the safety of the classroom. They both caught their breath, and started to laugh. This caused them to be even more out of breath.

"Wait, you've got a piece of rubber in your hair." Draco inched forward with his hand out-stretched. As he was about to pluck the piece of rubber from Ginny's head he stopped. The reason he stopped was that he saw Ginny flinching. "Don't worry I won't hurt you." With that he lifted his other hand and cupped her cheek with it. As he picked out the piece of rubber he said, "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Ginny didn't know why she did what she did next. As though she were acting on the spur of the moment she leaned forward and pulled Draco into an embrace.

Draco was shocked, but he gave her a warm, welcoming squeeze. After a few moments he lifted up her chin up and kissed her. Ginny then pulled her mouth away, but she wasn't worried or upset. She just asked with a sly smile, "Isn't Pansy your girlfriend?"

Draco's answer was soft and quite, "Do you really think she is my type?" They both laughed and were, once-again kissing. This time Ginny was expecting it and put her hands behind his neck to deepen the kiss. Forever seemed to pass maybe even more. All they knew were that they did not want to leave.

Then came a loud bang from the hallway. As though it was instinct, Draco pulled Ginny behind him. She held on to his arm. Draco pushed open the door, and there they saw the Gryffindor House Ghost, Nearly Headless Nick.

"Sorry Ms.Weasley, Mr.Malfoy. The Bloody Baron and I are searching for Peeves. I must have knocked over the armor when I was passing through that wall."

"We saw Peeves a few minutes ago. He might have gone down stairs." Ginny was keen not to draw attention to the fact that she was here with Draco.

"Thank you then. Cheerio!" He dropped down into the floor. Ginny put her back against the wall and chuckled. Draco walked over to the armor and attempted to clean up the mess. Ginny walked over to help him when she saw him produce a shield charm. Then she noticed a spell bounce off it.

"What are you doing here with him?" Ron's angry voice echoed the distant hallways. Harry was standing by his side.

"Oh, don't flatter him Ron." Ginny was the one to speak. As she looked over at Draco, she gave him an expression that said play along. She started to round on him. "You'd think I'd be here with a bloody ferret?"

"Well a ferret is more enjoyable company than you, Weaslette."

"Come on Ginny, let's go." Harry walked in front of her and waited until she was walking away to turn around and go to catch up with her.

Ginny didn't speak to Harry or Ron. She was sure they had sensed something was wrong. She sat with them at meals, but she would bring her friends to talk to her.

Over the next few days Ginny went to the Room of requirements to tutor Draco, but rarely said anything. She would hand him a pre-made piece of parchment that had all he had to do written on it. Draco, however, watched Ginny. She could feel him staring at her, but she really didn't return the stare. Occasionally, they would glance at each other in the halls. Ron was watching Draco, daring him to make a move on Ginny.

Blaise Zabini got up from the Slytherin end of the large table, one day at breakfast. Instead of leaving the Great Hall he turned to the Gryffindor end of the table. As he was walking down everyone was staring at him with looks of either confusion or hatred. He stopped when he reached Ginny and her friends. "Um, Gin can we talk?" His voice was cheery. He looked like at kid at Christmas. Ginny stared at him, confused. She turned her head meaning to look at her friends, but she saw a pair of silver eyes staring at Blaise with anger. Blaise noticing Ginny looking at her friends said, "Privately, if you don't mind."

"Sure. Let's go before my brother kills you.' Ginny was on somewhat friendly terms with Blaise. As she followed him everyone was watching them. Ron apparently was too dumbfounded to get up. She even saw Professor Snape straighten up in his chair. As they turned out of the Great Hall Blaise stopped and stared at Ginny.

He opened his mouth, "Have you heard the rumors about the ball celebrating Professor Madison's 50th Birthday?"

"Yea, what does that have to do with anything?" Ginny had a sneaking suspicion where he was headed with this conversation.

"Please don't be insulted when I ask you this, but I wanted to know if your friend Natalie is seeing anyone?" Okay so Ginny didn't know where he was heading, but she was glad that he wasn't asking her. She smiled widely, ear to ear.

"Nah, but if you want her to go out with you, you might want to get her something like a flower or something. She likes it when guys do that for some reason." They both laughed. She turned to go to the Great Hall and heard Blaise's footsteps behind her. She stopped as she reached the doorway. When he came to her side he looked at her. She turned around and whispered in his ear, "Do it tonight, she is on patrols in the dungeons."

"'Kay." Blaise's face light up when he was told such great news as this. Ginny went over to her friends and sat down as though nothing had happened. They stared at her expecting a surprise, but she just grinned and went about talking to them.

One day later the same owl arrived for Ginny that arrive every other day. She was wondering if Draco needed to change the schedule or something. As the owl descended Ron watched it like a hawk. (A/N hahaha! Get it he was watching the bird like a hawk)

"So Ginny, who keeps sending you loves letters?" Ginny's friend Amber was saying this only because she knew exactly who sent the letters. She just wanted to poke fun at Ginny for having a crush on Malfoy. Ginny didn't acknowledge the question. She opened the letter and read it to herself. As she did her eyes filled with tears.

I no longer need your help.

Thank you for your past help. Please forget this situation, for it would be better if our houses did not know. We shall not speak after this letter.

"Ginny, what is wrong?" Harry was looking at her with a look full of sympathy. She just straightened herself up and started to walk out of the library.

As she was almost at the entranceway Michael Orson stopped her and asked her something, "Gin, I was wondering-"

"Another time Michael." By this point, people stopped to watch. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Blaise, Draco, Ron, Harry, and Hermione watching her.

"Wait, I just want to ask you if-" Ginny wouldn't stand for this. Draco wouldn't talk to her. Ron was one incident away from disowning her. Harry and Hermione were questioning her every move. She just blew.

"Michael I know your question."

"Really and so you'll go with me to the ball?"

"Umm, I don't think I can."

"Oh, you're going with someone else?" Now everyone was staring, teachers included.

"No, I just don't want to go with you." Her face was truthful, and her eyes were solid.

"Why?"

"A personal reason just let it be.'

"But I want to know why."

"I said it is personal."

"Why is it so personal?"

"I am fed up with your constant shadow over me okay. So just do me a favor and GO TO HELL!" She was about to curse him when she saw a couple of his housemates stand up. As she turned to head out of the Great Hall she saw Draco look at her. His face with pure shocked, yet it looked as though he felt she had it coming to her. Ginny's face was trembling and filled with tears, but she straightened up and gave him an evil look. She just ran upstairs. She was heading for the most deserted place she could thing of. The Library. She knew since almost no one was here she would have privacy. As she settled down with a Quidditch book she read for a good 3 hours. She read the same paragraph over and over again. She didn't realize that she was dozing off. She fell asleep with tears falling from her eyes.

"Ms.Weasley. Ms.Weasley. MS.WEASLEY! Oh, for heaven sakes wake up girl." Professor McGonagall was hovering over Ginny. She was looking extremely harassed.

"What happened Professor?" Ginny straightened herself, but her words were slurred. She was so sleepy that she felt like not waiting for the answer, but rather she wanted to go back to dreaming.

"Well to re-cap on the 10 hours you were away," Ginny's jaw dropped. "Yes 10 hours. Your whole house, at least those who are here, and a few Ravenclaws were searching the school for you. Your brother has almost knocked out 5 people today, asking about your whereabouts and I find you here sleeping, and crying." She was staring at Ginny.

Ginny had to think about everything that was just said to her. Ron had beat up people. A lot of kids were looking for her and she was sleeping in the back of the library. Crying. "S-sorry. I will go now and tell them where I am."

"No need, I have already informed your brother and the other searchers of your whereabouts. You should, however, catch the Christmas Eve feast. You are excused from Prefects' duties tonight owning to the fact your brother probably won't let you out of his sight, now move." She helped Ginny up and walked her out of the library, but turned the other way.

As Ginny was walking she didn't know where she was going, but she allowed her feet to take her to the Great Hall without notice. As she entered almost everyone stood up in surprise. Hermione ran around the table and buried her face in Ginny's shoulder mumbling words like 'why', 'how', and something like 'do that again and see what happens'. Ginny laughed.

"I was in the library and I fell asleep, so sit back down," she couldn't help but smile. Everyone was so worried. As Hermione motioned Ginny to sit down, Ginny stood rooted to the spot. "Nats can you come over here for a second, alone?" Then as she and her friend turned to leave the Great hall she looked at Blaise in a way telling him to 'do it now'. He got up to and didn't bother to make sure no one noticed.

When in the hallway, Ginny was asking Natalie if she was going to the ball with anyone. Ginny was very pleased when Natalie said no. When Blaise spotted the girls he went over to them and asked to speak to Natalie alone. Ginny just left leaving them all alone. As she entered the Great Hall for a second time she heard a loud "YES." She laughed as she sat down in between everyone. She then explained loudly what was going on. She, of course, left out the letter from Malfoy. She was interrupted when Blaise and Natalie came into the Great Hall. Natalie, who really didn't like too much attention, was blushing, and Blaise was looking as triumphant as ever. Ginny was smiling.

"Gin, can we go to bed now I have to study?" Natalie obviously had no intentions of studying, but rather wanting to talk to Ginny about setting this up. Instead of waiting for an answer she grabbed Ginny's arm and pulled her up. Ginny's exit was met with many remarks from people about her disappearance. When they were out of the Great Hall, and earshot, Ginny's friend was jumping up and down. "Where were you?" was all she could get out of her mouth.

"Yes we all want to know, where the great Weaslette disappeared to." The voice was bitter and angry. Ginny wouldn't turn around, because she knew who was there. Her friend, however, was curious as to who would remark so nastily about such a small thing. Her body, though, eventually, willed her to turn. She saw what she was expecting to see. Draco, who must have been coming from the Slytherin common room, was looking very cross and bitter. As Ginny turned she nudged her friend. Her friend understood and slowly walked upstairs. Ginny then looked at Draco, who repeated his question. The glare in his eyes caused Ginny to look away. "Oh, not speaking to me now?"

"If your gonna lecture me about not telling someone where I was going save it. I know I shouldn't have gone off without telling anyone. Yes I know it is Christmas Eve. Anyway, why do I need to explain my business to you? After that letter you sent me I should just tell you to go to hell. " Ginny couldn't believe he had just this morning told her he didn't want nor needed her help. Now he was lecturing her about not telling where she went. She was furious. How could he be so evil? "I am going up to my room, and I don't ever want to speak to you nor see you again." She turned on her heels and stalked up towards the stairs.

As she was about to stomp on the first step she felt a hand pull her around. She was turned to face Draco, who was flaring. When he let go of her he lifted his hand. Thinking he was about to do something she grasped her wand, but instead he pulled her into and embrace. "It is not fair. I see you laughing with Blaise, but you never even smile when we talk. You help him with his love life, but ours is a big mess. I know I was over-reacting, but look at my point of view-,"

"Draco just shut up and kiss me." She put her arms around his neck and started to kiss him. He lent into the kiss after getting over the shock of what happened. They were together and they both felt like nothing could stop them, but they were wrong. Draco, in the heat of the moment, twirled Ginny around. As he did so she noticed, out of the corner of her eye, something. Or someone.


	3. Holiday Trips

Chapter 3- "Holiday Trips"

Ginny pulled out of their kiss and let her eyes look over Draco's shoulder to the figure standing being them. She put her hand under Draco's chin and turned his head. When he too saw the shadow Ginny felt him reach for his wand, but she stopped him. She knew who the figure was.

"Ginny?" The boy's voice sounded dumbfounded. As he took a step forward, the torch lit and shone light onto his face. Ginny gasped as she saw Michael Orson, standing with his wand out. "Get your hands off of her Malfoy."

"Listen Michael-"

"Don't worry I saw him. Just go inside and I'll take care of him." Laughter came from beside Ginny and behind Michael. As Ginny turned she saw Draco smirking, he wasn't staring at Michael, but behind Michael. Michael turned around to see Blaise, Goyle, and Crabbe at the doorway almost rolling on the floor laughing at the threat.

"Yeah Draco, Orson here can take you." Blaise fought off his desire to push Michael forward, edging him to fight. Draco straightened up and walked past Michael towards Blaise. When he got to Blaise, he bent down and whispered something into his ear. Blaise's face played a huge grin.

All of a sudden Blaise got up and went over to Ginny. "Let's go Madame." Ginny thought he was joking, but she noticed he held out his arm to her. She reluctantly took his arm and looked over at Draco and Michael.

"Please, don't fight." Ginny then was dragged away. Blaise was seemingly taking her to the kitchens. As they got to the portrait of the fruit basket they heard a thud. Then a voice calling "Gotcha, when you weren't looking."

Ginny had enough. She ran up the stairs and went towards the place where she had left the four boys. When she arrived Michael was near the stairs being scowled by Professor McGonagall. Draco was sitting down against a wall, and he had a scar on his face. All students and teachers had come out. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were at the back of the group so Ginny didn't see them. Crabbe and Goyle weren't letting anyone see Draco. Not even Pansy. Ginny, who found this very funny, had no time to laugh. When Professor McGonagall left Michael he sat down. Ginny thought of something. She was calmly walking over to Michael. When she got to him. She just sat on her knees in front of him.

He looked up and laughed, "I got him when he wasn't looking."

SMACK.

"I tell you one thing, 'Don't fight' and what do you do? You fought with him." She was absolutely pissed off. After she finished her words she stood up and walked over to Draco. Professor McGonagall had left him by himself. He was staring at her with his stupid grin. When he saw her face he looked horrified. Ginny's plans were to hex the life out of him. Blaise was already 2 steps ahead of her. He grabbed her around the waist and took her over to the side.

"Listen, Gin. Draco was telling Michael off for barging in, and when he turned around Michael hexed him. So let's leave Draco alone. The look alone might have made him crap his pants." As Blaise motioned for Ginny to leave a swift shadow was on them. Ginny saw Ron standing over her. His face was red. He pulled Ginny behind him and then turned to Blaise.

"Stay away from my sister." Ginny was scared when she saw Ron's face, but then she became outraged at how he was dictating her life.

She stood on her toes so she was level with him then began to work on his conscious. "How can you call yourself my brother, and sleep at night."

"What?" he was stunned at her.

"You have no right to tell me who to hang out with, nor can you tell me what to do. Why would you think I would hang out with any of these idiots?' She shot glares at Draco and at Blaise, "I can't believe how utterly stupid you are! If, in the future, you have any concerns about me you can shove them." She turned and walked away. Everyone was staring at Ron, who was as red as his hair. Ginny had stalked upstairs. Ron was still in shock. Blaise couldn't stop laughing. Some how he found it hysterical that Ginny had yelled at Ron about dictating her life, and then continued to call the lot of then idiots.

"Mr.Zabini, Mr.Orson, and Mr.Malfoy since all three of you have been involved in this fight somehow I am giving all of you detention. Mr.Weasley, when you pull yourself together, please tell your sister she will be serving detention with them. It will be on the second day after term has started. All of you should be ashamed." McGonagall was shaking her head as she turned to go upstairs. Crabbe and Goyle left Draco and Blaise to talk. Ron was sitting in Michael's abandoned seat. Harry was standing in front of him. Hermione however was talking to Professor Flitwick about what had happened.

As Ginny entered the Great Hall the next morning she noticed the larger table was gone. Due to a lot of disagreements between houses there were 4 small tables. The funny thing was, even though each table was meant for each house, people from different houses where sitting together. Ginny sat down next to Natalie. Amber, and Amber's younger sister Emily joined them. Amber went on and on about how the dance was cutting it too close to final tests and everything. Her words where somewhat drowned out as the few owls arrived. Ginny looked up to see her family owl coming to her. It carried an envelope. As she opened it she saw pictures of little children. She knew instantly that they were Bill's and Fleur's.

"Ron, come and see Bill's kids." She was still mad at him, but she wanted him to see their nieces. Ron, who didn't feel like getting hexed, sat with Harry, Hermione, a few Ravenclaws, and a few Hufflepuffs that morning. He got up and walked over. When he saw the picture his face lit up.

"So sorry to dampen the mood, but Ginny you've got a letter." Amber's eyes were glowing. It would almost seem that it were her eyes that gave her, her name. Ginny saw a sleek black owl sitting nibbling at her breakfast. She slowly got the letter and then motioned the owl to wait. She read the letter and was surprised by its contents. "Anyone have parchment and a quill?"

"Me," Natalie was absentmindedly looking at the pictures. Ginny dug through her bag to get what she needed. When she found it she wrote a response to letter. She made no effort in hiding what she wrote. For everyone at the table saw her write a 'Yes' on the parchment.

"Here take this to him and then you can come back here to finish my, no really, your breakfast." As she lifted the owl it spread its wings and flew to the top of the Great Hall. A few teachers were eyeing it, but mostly a group of students were watching it. The owl slowly descended towards Blaise Zabini. As he ripped it open, everyone was watching him. Especially Natalie. When he read it he ran up to Ginny's table and looked at her then at Natalie.

"You really mean this Gin, I mean it is Christmas." she nodded. Ginny knew she had made his day.

"Can you please tell me what is going on?" Natalie looked thoroughly confused. She almost wished she had not asked because Blaise and Ginny gave her a very long and confusing explanation.

"Well, today is a Hogsmeade visit, but curtain Prefects were selected to stay incase anyone stayed behind to cause trouble." Ginny began.

"And I was one of them." Blaise had taken Ginny's seat and started teasing the owl by hiding the toast it was eating.

"Since there are rarely any trips on holidays when almost no one is here Blaise wanted to take you to go somewhere." She slapped his hand and gave the owl its toast. All the while still looking at Natalie.

"So I asked my good pal Ginny, if she could fill in for me."

"And I said yes."

It took Natalie, and everyone else, a minute to take in all the information. But when she realized it she got up and hugged Ginny. "Thanks a lot mate. You are the best friend ever."

"I know, I know." Ginny was laughing and everything. She felt as though the fight last night were a dream. It wasn't until she saw Draco entering the Hall. She just then realized that she was at a table where almost all the people involved in last nights fight were sitting. Blaise caught their glimpses at one another. "I think you have been a git, and you are a jerk Ron Weasley."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ron was dumbfounded.

"For last night, I am sticking up for Ginny." Blaise stuck out his tongue. Everyone laughed because they all knew Blaise was picking a fight.

"Blaise, you don't have to do that." Ginny was thankful that someone was on her side.

"Of course I had to. Oh before I forget. You, Draco, Michael, and I have detention the second night back."

"Of course, I already know that." Ginny rolled her eyes. She saw Draco waltzing over to their table. When he arrived he merely nodded his head to show that he knew that the rest of the people were there. He smirked at Blaise, who had his head rested on the table as he smiled widely. Draco then turned to Ginny and stared at her before saying something.

"You win. I received a high mark on my reviews. So Pansy is officially off your case."

"Good then." Ginny was trying hard not to smack him. She knew he was expecting her to do such. Draco turned to leave, but Blaise said something to make him stay.

"Ginny, you know my brother Alabaster. He wanted me to ask you if you would go to the ball with him." Blaise paid no attention to anyone's expressions he was just eagerly awaited an answer.

Ginny's eyes widened. She was speechless for all of two seconds. "I am planning to ask someone. So can you tell him that I don't know?"

"Sure. He is a git anyway. I doubt you'd like him. Though seeing the gits you've dated-," Ginny picked up a newspaper and hit Blaise on the back of his head. After realizing what he said he apologized by bowing at her and saying 'I'm sorry.'

"Whatever, just go away."

"Let's go Gin. You've got to help me with something." Natalie chimed in. Then she whispered, "I don't know what to wear."

"That outfit." Ginny was sitting on the floor staring at Natalie. Natalie had on a pair of blue jeans that had graffiti-styled writing on them. They said 'Kiss me, I'm Irish.' which was sort of true because Natalie's Mother was an Irish witch. Her shoes were sneakers, nothing fancy. Her shirt was a plain bubble-gum pink shirt, with a white neckline. Her hair was in a ponytail.

"Fine, will you see me out?" Ginny almost thought the grin on Natalie's face looked devilish. But she merely nodded and walked her friend out the dorm room. Natalie's new look was met with glances from boys, even ones she didn't know. When they met with Blaise, Ginny noticed Draco sitting on the ground, his back to them, oblivious to the fact that the girls had arrived. When Ginny saw him she went over and stood behind him. Then she leaned over and saw him mounding snow.

She bent down and whispered in his ear, "Someone confound you?" She was slightly surprised he jumped. When he looked up he saw her.

"We were waiting for you. Blaise has a letter for you from McGonagall, but first I have a question?"

"What?" she turned to Blaise for a second and then back at Malfoy.

He put on a really innocent look, "Do I really look stupid?"

"If only you knew." She enjoyed teasing him. Draco, who knew she was teasing him, threw snow at her. When she wiped it from her face she stood staring at him. "Draco Malfoy, you don't know what I am gonna do to you. "

"What will you hex me?" He feigned a scared look. When Ginny realized that he was mocking her she threw a rather large snowball at him. When he recovered from both the shock and the freezing cold feel to the snow he enchanted a boulder of snow to come hurtling at her.

"They look lovely." A woman was standing next to a statue staring at the snowball fight with awe. She seemed to be amazed at their abilities to communicate to one another by playing a game. The brown eyes of Hermione Grange glazed over with a feel of awe. When she realized that she had an appointment to keep she ran down the hall.

"I give up!" Ginny's blue shirt and black jeans were completely white. Draco had hexed the snow so it would stick with her. "I said I give up, so stop the hex."

"You need to relax or else it'll keep sticking to you it is like Devil's Snare." he was brushing off the snow Ginny hit him on the head with. "Relax for goodness sakes."

Ginny couldn't relax because the snow was building on her. She felt the pressure on her chest. "Help. I can't relax."

"Oh fine, wimp." He raised him wand and shouted "_Scourify_." Immediately Ginny's body was free from the snow. As she caught her breath she seemed to be saying something.

"B-beginners luck….I'll get you….no one has ever…beat me." She just collapsed on the ground panting. When she closed her eyes her body relaxed, but it was the image she saw that made her sad. When she closed her eyes her thoughts brought her back to the night in the abandoned classroom where she and Draco first kissed. As she saw the image of the two of them, together, her eyes wanted to open, but she willed them to stay shut. She was coursing through her memories when she felt a soft hand on her face. She recognized who it was. Draco was checking to see if she was okay. When she actually opened her eyes he was staring at her.

When he noticed she opened her eyes he looked at her and said, "Well Sleeping Beauty is up."

'He said, 'Sleeping Beauty.' He thinks I am like Sleeping Beauty. Wow! I am gonna fall a sleep more often,' Ginny was smiling.

"In this case why don't we call her SNOW White?" Blaise was laughing at his own joke, to which no one else chuckled. When he realized how stupid he looked he piped up, "Ginny, McGonagall has a letter for you about Prefect duties today."

When Ginny sat up she almost banged heads with Draco, but instead, their noses rubbed together. "Sorry. Well what note."

"This." Blaise leaned down and handed her the note. Then he turned to Draco. "You have duties today?"

"Nope McGonagall said as the Head Boy I deserve some time off."

"More like the Pigheaded Boy." Ginny retorted. Natalie laughed and even Draco smiled a bit.

"No fair my joke was way better than hers." Blaise gave up and leaned over Ginny's shoulder to read her letter.

Dear Miss Weasley,

I have decided that you are to be allowed this trip to Hogsmeade owning to the fact that Mr.Zabini claims you originally gave it up for him. I shall allow you to go. Please behave for you are setting an example for younger years. Please remember this does not excuse you from your detention. The shame that befell our house when you made such a scene.

Merry Holidays,

Minerva McGonagall

When Ginny got up she hugged Blaise. "Thanks mate. She said 'cause you bugged her I am allowed to go to Hogsmeade."

"Yeah sure. Want to come with us." Natalie was standing next to Blaise when he said this. She whispered something in his ear. "Draco you come to. Natalie said all four of us should go to Hogsmeade together."

"Sure." Ginny turned to Draco, "You coming or does the Snowball King want time alone?"

"First of all, it is the Slytherin PRINCE Weasley. Secondly, I'm coming." He was looking right at Blaise as though expecting him to explain something.

"Fine lets go then."

As Ginny walked into The Three Broomsticks Natalie was at her side debating what was the best kind of Prank to Pull (They were just in Zonko's). The girls had left the boys in the shop so they could grab a seat in the place. When they found a seat they started talking about what they wanted to do when they got out of Hogwarts.

"I want to work in the Ministry." Ginny didn't care that her family would rather her become a housewife or something. She wanted adventure, and lots of it.

"I want to be a Stay-At-Home mom," Natalie's eyes glistened whenever she mentioned children. She loved kids. Ginny thought that was so because she grew up having to take care of her younger twin sisters.

"So you want to let your husband make all the money?" Ginny always said that there could be two moneymakers in the house whenever Natalie said she wanted to stay at home.

"Not really, but isn't that a husband's job? To provide for his family?"

"Controversial issue." Draco and Blaise just sat down next the girls. It was Draco who interrupted the conversation.

"How?" Ginny hadn't expected them back so soon.

"When I was born my dad wouldn't leave me be. He stayed home until I was able to walk properly." He was rummaging through his bag and didn't notice the looks on Ginny and Natalie's face.

"Why?" Blaise only asked because neither girl could find their tongue.

"I was his only heir, so he thought my mom might damage me or something." Draco found what he we looking for and held it up. It was a piece of paper that could write anything its owner was saying.

"Okaaay, lets talk about something happier." Blaise's obvious sarcasism was found funny to only Natalie.

"What's going on here?" A voice came from behind them. As they turned they saw Professor McGonagall. "I swear Mr.Malfoy, Mr.Zabini if you both are annoying these girls I will have you on so many-"

"Well Professor, Natalie and Blaise are on a date, and I and Draco are chaperoning." Ginny couldn't, really wouldn't, look up to see the look on the woman's face. It was best that she didn't because the Professor looked like she was just slapped.

"Well since I know both you and Mr.Malfoy can't get along, Weasley, both of you behave." She gave them glares then proceeded towards the table where most of the teachers were. When she arrived at the table she pushed Snape down so he wouldn't go over to the four.

"You are bad luck." Ginny turned to the boys. They smiled and nodded. It took them a while to actually get over the whispers and pointing from other students. When it came time for them to leave they were discussing a topic that caused many arguments throughout time.

"Chuddely Cannons, just suck." Blaise put down the money for his and Natalie's drinks. He was pushing in his chair when Ginny started laughing loudly.

"Yes, and Scotland National team is any better?" Ginny put down the money for her drink as she was swinging her coat on. Draco and Natalie looked at the two as though they would burst out laughing. When Draco noticed Ginny and Blaise paying he put up his hand.

"Please, with this much entertainment, even I would feel bad if I didn't pay." He was trying hard not to laugh, but his grin seemed too big for his face. He put down the money for all four drinks. When they left The Three Broomsticks, Draco and Natalie went ahead leaving Blaise and Ginny to fight. When Draco and Natalie were outside the door they came face-to-face with the two people you don't want to see if you have a secret. Paravati and Lavender were coming out of the bookshop across the hall. When they saw Natalie leave the shop then Draco they stopped mid-step.

"Nats you dating Malfoy?" Paravati found this piece of information so juicy. "Because we heard him and Ginny were going out?"

"He is an arrogant-egotistic-undeniably-stupid-jerk," Natalie was acting as though she was praising Draco instead of dissing him. She waited at the doorway staring at the door.

Paravati noticed what she was doing and said, "You have to open it."

"I am waiting for someone you twit." Natalie was growing rather impatient. Draco just sat down and began putting snow into a mountain. When the door opened Blaise had a large bump on his head and Ginny was grinning.

"Ginny, what did you do?" Natalie kissed the bump and then healed it. Having many younger siblings she had seen her mother mend any kind of wound. Ginny stopped laughing when she saw Malfoy sitting and playing with the snow.

"Is that a reoccurring habit of his or does he want to start another snowball fight?" Blaise snorted and Draco tried to throw snow at her, but missed. Ginny turned her gaze to the two girls and sighed. "You two so lonely that you have to bother Natalie about her love life, again?"

Almost everyone laughed, but the two girls. Ginny looked at them and went over to them and hugged them, "Sorry, that was the butterbeers talking. Forgive me?"

"Sure Gin, as long as you tell us which of these blokes is yours." Lavender hugged her back. Ginny looked around and whispered something in the girl's ear. Their eyes widened, and they shrieked, "Is that true?"

"Of course."


	4. Hiding Behind A Mask

Chapter 4- "Behind A Mask"

"Here." Ginny tossed the presents at everyone in the Room of Requirements. Everyone meaning: Draco, Natalie, Amber, Emily, Blaise, Hermione, Harry, Lavender, and a very angry Ron. Natalie, Ginny, Amber, and Emily had planned to go to the room for gift exchange by themselves, but Natalie wanted Blaise to come. Ron wouldn't hear of the Slytherin being alone with his sister so he said he was coming, and Lavender forced him to take her. Harry and Hermione came only to keep Ron in check, but Draco would not let Blaise be alone with all the Gryffindors. So they all came. Christmas night would be a blast.

"Funny Ginny, just hilarious," Draco was holding up a stuffed animal, but not just any animal. It was a ferret. Everyone chuckled at Ginny's gift except Emily who didn't get it. After explaining it to her she found the humor in it.

"Thanks Gin," rang around the room. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Lavender were sitting with their presents looking very pleased. Ginny had already given her 3 friends something, and Blaise refused to take her gift. He said she had done enough for him.

"I am tired, so I'll be going." Emily stood up and went over to everyone and hugged them. She hugged Draco from behind so he couldn't yell at her. When she hugged Blaise he picked her up and took her to the door shooing her out.

"Well what should we do?" Blaise sat down next to Natalie and started staring at her.

"It doesn't matter what we do as long as we don't give Ron too much butterbeer," said Harry. When everyone stared at Ron, he turned scarlet. Harry continued, "He starts to think he is a professional Quidditch player and then starts to zoom around the room. After a while he picks up something and hits you with it thinking you are a bludgers. Total sugar high."

Everyone laughed and Ginny and Hermione exchanged glances. They were remembering that Christmas at Grimmauld Place where Ron had acted just exactly how Harry had described.

"A year later and they never forget," Ron muttered.

"What was that Weasley, 'More Butterbeer'?" Draco was howling. His face was as red as it had ever been.

"Shut it." It was Ginny who intervened. She was stated to get annoyed that two people who fight just when the fun began.

"He started it," Ron and Draco said together. They looked at each other and then looked away. When they realized their defeat Hermione spoke.

"Oh Lord look at the time." She was staring at her watch.

"You gonna tell us the time or just have a staring contest with your watch because I think it'll win?" Blaise was lazily lying in Natalie's lap. His face was calm.

"It is 4 in the morning." as Hermione finished her words both Draco and Ginny shot up. When Ginny stood up she stepped on Natalie's robes and slipped on them. This caused her to fall forward onto Malfoy. Draco fell back as soon as Ginny fell on him.

"Listen I know you like me and all that, but making a move on me in front of your brother. I didn't know you where that daring." Draco was almost laughing. When Ginny was getting up she purposely shoved her hand onto his chest. When she was standing she quietly walked out the door. Draco just sat there his hand in the spot she hit him. Everyone was quite.

"That was our que wasn't it?" Natalie looked at Amber when she said this. When Amber nodded, both girls stood up and walked out. As Amber went out the door she looked at Draco with her eyes. They told him that he was right on the mark.

When the girls left Hermione and Blaise burst out laughing, "Oh Blaise you win." Hermione couldn't control her laughter.

"I knew I would, but let's keep it to ourselves." He wiped a tear from his face.

"Blaise wins what? Did you two make a bet?" Lavender sat up ready to hear it all.

"Shut up," Hermione snapped. After talking everyone left and they shifted aside the memory of Ginny on top of Draco. No one else noticed what Blaise and Hermione noticed.

At breakfast the day when the new term started Dumbledore stood up. "I am sure that many of you have heard the rumors of a ball being held in honor of Professor Madison's 50th birthday," he began. "Well they are true. All years may come, but appropriate attire is a must. You do not have to wear dress robes, but nothing vulgar. Also, it is a mask party. Please do not abuse the privileges given to you. 3rd years and below must leave at 10pm, 4th to 5th years must leave at 12 and 6th & 7th years can leave when they may but that is a privilege so please be mature and don't abuse it. If you arrive with a date and that date is in an older year you may leave when said date has to leave. That is all. Tuck in."

"Ginny?" Amber was waving her hand in front of Ginny's face.

"Amber I am just looking out the window, what?" Ginny wasn't to be bothered in the morning.

"What do you think about a masked ball?"

"I hate the idea, how can we see our faces and the faces of others?"

"I think that was Dumbledore's point."

"Maybe."

"Who you going with to the Ball?"

"No one."

"Didn't Blaise's bro want to take you?"

"I told him to shove off." All laughing ceased when the girls heard a familiar laugh. They turned to see Blaise standing laughing.

"Oh that was a real killer." He sat down next to Ginny in front of Natalie. Over the break Blaise sat with the girls so often he felt lonely without them. So when he started to hang out with them everyone stared. When people's jaws dropped he would mimic their expression right back at them.

"Why do you want to torture us by sitting here?" Ginny said while slapping his hand for trying to steal her bread.

"Stingy. Well Malfoy has been totally unbearable since-"

WHACK

A newspaper found its way on the back of Blaise's head. When everyone looked up Draco was holding a copy of the Morning Prophet.

"Here Blaise, your mum sent it." He handed the copy to the boy

"Thanks mate, but please don't deliver express next time." Chuckling at his own joke Blaise shut up when he heard an interesting conversation between Natalie and Amber. He kept his ears focused on Draco and Ginny too.

After laughing at Blaise's stupidity Draco turned to Ginny. When he stared at her he just simply said, "Yes."

As he left Ginny wasn't the one who got up but Blaise stood up and smiled at her, "I told you so." He ran after Draco thudding him on the arm. Inside Ginny was 10 times as glad and happy to receive her answer.

Her mind was lifted from that cloud and brought to one question, what should she wear? When her head was brought back to earth she rushed up to the owlery and began to hurry a letter.

Mum,

Remember my Christmas gift from Fred and George? Could you send it to me? We are having a masked ball.

Love,

Ginerva

She quickly motioned for Griffin, Blaise's Owl, to come. When she sent him off with the letter she ran to her classes.

During class Ginny had be called aside by Professor Snape. When everyone left he sat at his desk and motioned for her to stand in front of it.

"Miss Weasley, you have been placed in Potions, and charms with the Seventh years." he looked displeased. Probably because she was moved ahead when no other student (i.e. a Slytherin) was. Before she could speak he snapped, "Leave."

When she rounded the corner the new students were arriving. She winced when she noticed they were Ravenclaws and Slytherins. One stood in front of her. He looked at her with cold eyes. She knew who this was. It was Alabaster Zabini, Blaise's Brother.

"Well, well. Gryffindors in Slytherin territory." Ginny backed away from him. Which she wished she had not done because she backed herself into a corner. She saw two other boys stand at his side.

"Zabini, who is this here." A gruff voice came from Alabaster's right. He was staring at Ginny. When she was consumed in the shadows she dropped in the corner.

"Oi, Alabaster. Don't start now class is starting." Blaise rang across the hall. He didn't notice Ginny in the corner.

Draco who was at his side asked him, "Who is he taunting now?"

"I don't know. Want to see?" Blaise waltzed over to his brother. "Okay Alabaster who you doing in now?"

"Just a scrawny Gryffindor." Alabaster's voice showed his attempt to hide the fact he wanted his brother to disappear. Blaise, fortunately, knew that his brother was doing something wrong.

"Gryffindor Meat! Yay, Draco lets join in." He gave Draco a look telling him not to bother to go away.

"Is it that Ron Weasley?" Draco looked like he could go for a nice torture session.

Ginny didn't know why, but she spoke, "No it is his sister." Upon hearing her voice Blaise and Draco shoved Alabaster aside and looked at her.

"What the hell are thinking Alabaster? You asked out Pansy before Ginny could even answer you. You are bloody nuts." He lifted Ginny up expecting her to not be able to walk.

Draco stood back. His thoughts were racing. 'What should I do? Everyone in Slytherin is here, should I save her? Should I help Blaise beat up his brother?'

Before he could act on his decision professor Snape came out of the classroom. "Zabini I hope this is a brotherly spat. What are you doing here Miss Weasley I dismissed you ten minutes ago."

"Alabaster and his goons attacked her Professor. I, like Professor Dumbledore says we should do, promoted inter-house relations by helping her. That and I fancy her best friend." Ginny tried to pull away, but Blaise thought she was slipping so he held on tighter.

Snape looked at Alabaster and shook his head, "In the classroom now, 50 points from Slytherin. Blaise, Draco you take the Weasley up to the Infirmary, I think you all need to be checked."

The three started walking, no one speaking. When they reached the Infirmary door Ginny jerked out of Blaise's grip and walked in the room. Her stance was daring the boys to follow. Hey, they are Slytherins, and they love challenges. They walked behind her looking around.

"Ginny!" a voice sprang out from behind a curtain. When Ginny turned she turned too hard and hurt herself. She saw Padma Patil in a bed with a bandage on her face. Ginny limped over to her and sat down. When the boys looked in the curtain Padma screamed. She thought they were going to pull something.

"It's okay Padma. They were- stop it Blaise- helping me." Blaise ran behind Ginny. When Blaise came out he saw Padma's face into a wicked smile.

"I know you. You beat up Michael." Padma laughed as she was remembering the moment.

"You beat up whom?" Ginny looked at him shooting daggers.

"Well it was a favor. Come on after the rumors I had it."

"What rumors?" Ginny looked hurt. When they looked at her they didn't believe she had asked that question. Then they turned away, no one wanting to tell her the truth.

"Blaise you will tell me," She demanded of him.

"Well Orson was being a prick and telling his buddies that he refused you so when he saw you with Malfoy he just wanted to walk on by but you made some comments on what he did. Then he said something, anyway in the end he beat up Draco and some other stuff bout you begging for him to take you back. Then he told his idiots that I, Goyle and Crabbe all lied to get him in trouble and you helped us because he refused you twice." Blaise was out of breathe for he spoke so fast that Ginny almost didn't catch what he said. Almost.

"That leech!" She started muttering cursing under her breathe and open her mouth wide to make a statement but she heard Madame Pompfrey coming.

"Scaring patients are we boys? Mr.Zabini get out from behind Ms.Weasley immediately." She looked over at the three visitors. Then she turned to Ginny. "Professor Snape already flooed me and explained to me what happened. Come I will check you out."

The boys sat talking to Padma. Well only Blaise talked. When Ginny's voice could be heard gasping Draco sat up right staring into the void. When Ginny did come back she was limping and holding her back.

"What happened?" Blaise purposely knocked into Draco when he stood up to knock him out of his trance.

"Well I cut myself so she had to clean it and it hurt." She sat down in the seat Blaise abandoned. She winced as she leaned to sit but the pain subsided. Draco stared at her as though he were boring holes into her.

"What have you guys been talking about?" Ginny looked up.

"Nothing except how these two boys are your knights in Shining Armor." Padma had her sister's talent of giving just enough information to get just the thing she wanted to hear.

Ginny looked at the boys. Everyone in the room took what she said next differently, "Only one was."

(A/N: I need to know if you want Ginny and Draco to get back together gradually or suddenly. Review and/or email. I know this is a very short chapter, but something came up when I re-wrote this story.)


	5. Hearts of A Different ColorNew Secrets

Chapter 5- "Hearts of a Different Color"

The next day was okay for some. Ginny hadn't speaking to both boys. Blaise, who didn't want to insult anyone, sat at the Hufflepuff table. He wasn't welcome at the Ravenclaw table nor should he sit at Gryffindor and Slytherin. Draco just sat not saying a word. Natalie, strangely, had been crying more than usual.

One day as Blaise was showing some Hufflepuff boys how to put a bomb in the bathroom and how to make it went off after you left, he felt someone sit beside him and in front of him.

He looked up and saw Draco in front of him and Ginny beside him. "What is up with you? You can sit at Gryffindor table. They are just starting to accept you there." Ginny looked as though she had been crying.

Draco added roughly, "Or with Slytherin. Where you belong." Both sat content on having him move from the spot.

"No," Blaise stared at Ginny. "Why were you crying?"

"I am not crying?" She tried to trick him into avoided the question.

"You were," Blaise glanced angrily at Draco for a second.

"I hurt my back again and my cut opened." She stared back at him. She turned her gaze to the boy she was avoiding. He stared at her with his silver eyes gleaming at her. She turned to Blaise and whispered something in his ear. When she did so he immediately stood up and walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Ginny followed suite and had a mischievous grin on her face. Draco got up and followed closely behind Ginny. He turned to go to the Slytherin table. When Blaise sat down he glared at Ginny.

"Give me that look once more and it won't be a threat it will be a promise." She stared intently at him.

"So Ginny," he began loudly, "have you told Draco about your new dr-" Ginny stood up before he finished. Her eyes fluttering with tears. Natalie, Amber, and Hermione looked at Blaise with anger in their eyes.

Hermione and Natalie ran after her. Amber stayed. "She was joking you know, it wasn't a threat. She wouldn't start that rumor about you. She only said it because Natalie thought you wanted to break up with her because you never came to visit her. She just wanted you to come and visit. Ginny wanted you to explain things to Natalie." Amber's eyes shown with a brilliant look of hatred. "Unless you were too thick to notice, but she has been crying, Ginny has. Her and that mutant got into a fight because you were the only one who cared enough to help her yesterday. She was angry and so was he. But she was also hurt. He was just angry. Making her re-live the experience isn't even Slytherin low. You were probably the only who knew how she felt."

"Shove it Amber, you don't have a say in this." Draco apparently came when he saw Ginny leave. He came to Blaise's defense.

"Let her continue Draco." Blaise was interested in how Amber knew how everyone felt.

"Thank you. Ginny has never been able to fully trust someone. She wanted someone who knew EVERY aspect of her life. You did, maybe not all her life stories, but you knew what she wanted you to. You never asked questions. For you to defile her trust like that makes me sick." She turned to Draco. By now everyone was looking. Snape stood up as did McGonagall, but no one stopped the fight. "You, you prick. She always trusted you. But you always have to screw with her. Well guess what? If you come within 10 feet of her, your parents will need another kid, because I will see to it you can't produce any heirs." She opened her mouth to continue but Ginny came through the open doorway and grabbed her arm.

"Lets go." Ginny said in a deadly whisper.

"No. They both hurt you." Amber wouldn't move. Both boys were staring at Ginny who still hadn't stopped crying.

"You need to know something. Lets go." Ginny pulled out of the Great Hall. When they left Blaise ran after them, but Draco followed him. Draco and Blaise rounded the corner to find three girls standing; one was sitting, looking in a box. Ginny was crying and Natalie was sniffling. Hermione and Amber shot glares at the boys. When Ginny saw the boys she stood up, forgetting the parcel that was on her lap. Her eyes were puffy. The parcel fell to the floor. Its contents were a long red dress with golden trimmings and golden lace around the V-shape collar. The sleeves were long and match the lovely red of the dress. The reds on the dress were different shades and they swirled around the dress giving the impression they moved and the dress moved. There were shoes to match them. As the whole box toppled, Natalie ran over to Blaise and looked at him scolding him.

"You are just-" Before she finished he pulled her into an embrace.

"First of all, you dummy. I didn't want to sit at either Slytherin or Gryffindor table because of Ginny and Draco not speaking to one another. And since I am not a fan at Ravenclaw table I went to Hufflepuff." He kissed her serenely on the head.

Draco was looking at the floor. He was staring at an earring that had fallen and rolled over from the parcel box. It was a silver snake eating a red ruby. Ginny, after picking everything up, walked over to Draco.

"You wouldn't help me. You wouldn't look at me. You didn't even have the decency to ask how I was." Her eyes were stained with tears. She stared at him waiting for a response. When he gave no comment she continued. "Your silence makes me think even worse about you. You can just stay out of my life were you belong."

She turned to walk away. As she did so she felt someone grab her arm and pull her around on the spot. She had felt this once before on Christmas Eve. When she turned she saw Draco and his hand was out-stretched. In his palm there was one of her earrings.

"If I am to leave your life then, know this. Malfoys never comes crawling back to someone." Ginny's eyes resumed their wetness. Draco continued. "I don't think you're pretty. I don't want to be with you and when you leave I wont cry."

Ginny turned, as she was about to run away, but felt his hand on her arm swing her around for something more. "Enough Malfoy, I know what you want to say you don't need to continue. You have said enough."

"Yes I do." Draco's eyes shone with tinted amber coloring. "Let me explain things to you Ginerva Weasley. I am not coming crawling back, I am begging with my heart. I don't think you are pretty because I think you are beautiful. Being with you is a need for me. And if you left I would die."

She felt a smile form on her face. She turned to her friends each with looks telling her 'If you don't kiss him I will.'

"If you break my heart again Malfoy I will be the one to make sure you can't have kids." Ginny let the humor in her voice come out. She stared at him waiting, hoping for an answer.

"Wouldn't think about it, love." He pulled her into a kiss. As he did so he heard movement by the stairs, but took it as the girls leaving. He didn't question what he heard until he heard a boy's voice call out in strain.

"Ginny, I am happy for you and all, but please take your snogging session somewhere else. Even though Potter and I are strong Weasley is going to tear us apart." Blaise was very serious when he said this.

Ginny and Draco turned around to see Ron trying to get over to them. They laughed when they saw that Blaise was practically on the floor with his hands around Ron's waist. They couldn't help, but laugh.

"Think it is funny do you? You won't think it is funny when I pound you Malfoy." Ron was gasped for breath. Harry, unknowingly, hand put his arm around Ron's neck to stop him, but ended up choking him. Lavender was laughing her heart out next to him. She was staring at her boyfriend thinking 'Wow.'

"Ron calm down." Ginny couldn't suppress her laughter.

"No," he was turning blue

"Calm down or we'll elope Weasley." Draco looked at him when he said this but had to look away. He wanted to hide his true smile for one person. When he looked back Blaise was on the floor with a look of pride towards Draco. Ron was sitting pondering if he was lying and Harry had collapsed on the spot too tired to think. Ginny glanced at Draco and saw him shaking his head.

"Can we explain?" Ginny pleaded

"Get it over with." Ron was sitting on a couch in the Room of Requirements. He was staring at Draco who was sitting next to Ginny. When Draco noticed Ron staring at the two of them he put his hand around Ginny. Ron flared.

"Where should they begin?" Blaise asked prodding Ron's bruised neck with his wand to heal it.

"Start in the library." Amber knew the whole story. The library was her favorite part. Her sister Emily nodded in agreement.

"What time in the library? The one where we made the bet, the one where I fell asleep, or the one where we met Sir Nicholas?" Ginny's eyes fell to the floor as people around her gaped at her.

"No, start where you taught his levitating spells." Lavender chimed in.

"YOU KNEW," Ron was on full rage. "Can't believe you people."

"Shut up. Lavender may be a huge gossip, but since she is going out with you she cut me some slack and kept her mouth shut." Ginny scowled.

"Just get on with it." Harry was lying down on pillows staring at Hermione. She was staring at Ginny, who was meeting Draco's gaze.

"Well this is what happened." Ginny went on about how Draco made the bet. During parts of the story Blaise burst out laughing or would shout 'I taught him that' or 'Wow you're like the tenth person to fall for that.' After a while Draco smacked him over the head and he remained quiet as Natalie stroked and kissed the spot he was hit. Then he started again and caused Ginny to take care of him. After using the same hex she used on Pansy, on Blaise she continued to tell them about how their meetings were to help Draco. She finally got to the part where she was cornered in the dungeons. "Alabaster hated me because said I wouldn't go to the ball with him."

"He hated you for another reason," Blaise interjected. His eyes met hers with a 'He did it not me' look.

When saw the look in his eyes she understood and turned to Draco. She looked just like Ron when she was angry. "You didn't? Did you?"

"I did." He looked away as she stood up. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do when you're in this situation. She put her hand under his chin and swung his face around, hard.

"We need to talk Drakey-Pooh." She mimicked the voice Pansy used around Draco. He stopped chuckling when he saw a fearful, evil grin on her face. His face fell when she grabbed his collar and pulled him up. She stood thinking and the Room read her thoughts. A small door appeared. She dragged him over to it and closed the door with a slam.

"You just had to get him in trouble." Natalie looked at Blaise with a childish grin. He stared at her with a look of peace.

"He did need to tell her everything and vise versa. Hopefully she'll-" Blaise began.

"Dump him." Harry and Ron both finished his sentence, but not exactly the way Blaise wanted to end it. He opened his mouth to retort when Ginny and Draco returned. Draco's hair was a mess; obviously he ran his hands through it, and Ginny's robes where hanging off her shoulder; she must have been flaring her arms.

"Oh that is a Kodak moment." Blaise fell to the floor, laughing.

"How do you know that saying?" Hermione and Harry eyed him. Blaise straightened up and sat back down.

"Read it somewhere." Blaise was playing with his fingers. Seeing the looks on Hermione and Harry's faces he quickly added, "Not in a muggle book before you ask."

"You read the textbooks?" Hermione gaped. Her face was flushed from realizing she had remembered what she had read in a textbook 2 years prior.

"Once." He looked up at her. "Boring as hell it was. Anyone who reads them for fun must be absolutely nutters or has no life at all." Everyone in the room, with the exception of Draco and Blaise, cringed when Hermione turned red with rage. Her face scowled as she thought about throwing something at him. Suddenly she felt around and found something and threw it at him. She didn't know what it was but it was heavy. It was heavy enough so that when Blaise dodged it, it hit the wall and broke some stone of the wall.

"Damn you have a good arm." Blaise was quivering behind Ginny like he always did. He lifted his head up from his hiding place to see a pouting Natalie. "What's wrong with your face?"

"She wants to know why you run to Ginny instead of her." Amber's eyes danced around the room. She was taking in the gaps from everyone with a deep feeling of pride. Natalie, Emily, and Ginny all stared at her with looks of a cautious warning.

"Exactly, why wouldn't you hide behind me?" Natalie snapped to reality to relinquish her point.

"Because Hermione won't hit Ginny." Blaise said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"But why would she hit me?" Natalie was on the verge of tears.

"Because you have been a pest to her commenting on her hair and such." Amber looked down at the floor, concentrating hard as she said this. "Blaise knows Hermione would not have to think twice. Probably thinks Hermione would see it as hitting 2 birds with one stone."

"That proves it." Blaise jumped up like a madman. "Right, Draco? Wasn't I right? I told you she was an Empath didn't I?

"You did Blaise now sit down," Draco snapped. His eyes were still stone grey from his fight with Ginny.

"H-how did you know?" Ginny was gapping at Draco and Blaise. Her eyes turned light chocolate colored, like they always did when she was surprised.

Draco was the one who spoke. "This-" he put his hand under her jaw and closed it, "-is not lady-like."

"Piss off." Ginny scooted away from him in the direction of Amber. "Amber you were messing with him weren't' you. The whole damn time. If you wanted us to keep it a secret why the hell would you tell the whole damn Gossiping-Fricking-Trio?"

"Trio?" Amber's eyes were staring at Ginny's with a look of sincere confusion.

"You know for a fact Padma is as big of a gossip as Lavender and Paravati." Ginny turned to the trio. "No offense, actually you guys are great. I am just saying we don't need this broadcasted throughout the whole school."

"No offense, actually, we are proud." Lavender did not look pleased and her voice was oozing with sarcasism.

"Whatever," Ginny sneered. She turned to the rest. "Yes Amber is an Empath, so that is over with-"

"No it isn't." Blaise shot up. "She can tell how we are thinking. It is not fair that our privacy is invaded like that." He was blushing madly when he said this.

Ginny looked at him with a silencing look of deadly proportions. She was waiting for him to calm down. When he finally calmed down she went on with the explanation, rather Draco continued while she added little footnotes.

"Ahem, well when we helped her out of her tight spot we took her to the Hospital Wing." Draco was looking at his fingernails.

"I was only in the little 'tight spot' because you baited Alabaster." Ginny snapped at him.

"Like I was saying, we helped her. Then afterwards Ginny and me talked in the hall and everything. The talk ended up as a fight." He drew a breath. "We fought because Blaise was the one who yelled at Alabaster in her defense."

"And because he was the one who helped me up." She not refused to look at Draco.

As Draco continued his commentary he noticed her voice was distant. When he looked at her not facing him he swung his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "Pouting is not becoming my pet."

"Fine, fine." She didn't actually face him, but rather the direction he was facing. After a while she noticed his hand remained around her waist. She crossed her arms and put them on her knees. As she leaned on her elbows to support her stature, she allowed her hand to met his and held it. "Well to cut through the rest, we made up."

"Yup you made up all right. Right there in the hallway." Ron snorted.

Draco turned to him. "Listen Weasley, be kind to me or you never know when I can trick you into drinking butterbeer in the Great Hall. I bet you would like Professor Snape the bet a Bludger."

Ron turned crimson and looked away. Ginny sat taller as she saw Ron for once back off. "Well I think that is all of the things we should discuss. Any questions?"

"Oh Lord, I am gonna get comfortable if we are answering questions." Draco laid his head on Ginny's lap and allowed her to stroke the fringe of his hair. He lazily motioned for the continuation of the questioning.

"Well actually I think most questions were answered." Hermione looked around the room awaited someone to challenge her statement. Unfortunately, Blaise spoke up yet again.

"Wait I still want to know-"

Amber's eyes took their sudden appearance of concentration as she interrupted him, "Don't worry Blaise, your secret is safe with me."


	6. Secrets, Lies, and Family Ties

Chapter 6- "Secrets, Lies, and Family Ties"

(A/N: FYI -Arthur Weasley has died during the summer before Ginny's sixth year. Sorry I could not fit it in. R.I.P. Arthur. Happy readings!)

The morning light shone through the window and hit Ginny on the face. As she stirred she felt something on her stomach. She squinted her eyes at what lay on her. She saw sleek blonde. Immediately she knew who it was. Finding out what he was doing there took her a minute to remember.

"Wake up Draco." Ginny tried to sit up, but Draco pushed her down. He was insistent on sleeping. She remembered Blaise and Amber talking in hushed voices in a corner of the room, discussing Blaise's 'secret.' She also remembered that she was lying on a stack of pillows with Draco next to her, they were just talking about stuff. Ginny, Natalie, and Emily had refused to leave Amber alone so they had stayed and waited for her. Hermione and Lavender, much to Ginny's surprise, had managed to coax Ron and Harry to go to bed. The sudden feeling of the memories flooding back to her made Ginny's head hurt. Her whole body was aching. It took her some 2 minutes to realize she must have hurt herself or something while Draco fell asleep on her.

"Not time to wake up yet." His voice was very slurred. She had to focus hard to hear him.

"Yes it is lover boy. Breakfast started an hour ago." Blaise's voice was too cheery for the couple so they threw pillows at them. He chuckled as he put up his hands to block the futile attack. "Draco and Ginny, if you two haven't forgot we have detention tonight. You guys can cuddle up then."

"Draco get up, he is right," Ginny's own words were slurred as well. She allowed Draco a minute to lift his head before she slipped away. She was at the door when she heard a thud. Draco had been so sleepy the he didn't realize the mountain of pillows he was lying on, ended right next to him.

"Ha ha. Very funny now lets go." For some reason even Blaise's sarcasism could not make Draco rise. After five minutes of watching him roll over to the door, Ginny and Blaise helped him up and walked him to the Great Hall. As they reached the doorway all eyes were on them.

"Oi, Ginny!" Natalie rose from her spot and went over to the three. "What is the matter with him?" She pointed to Draco.

"I think he took a sleeping potion. Maybe that is why he couldn't get up." Blaise dragged Draco over to the nearest spot to lay him down, at Gryffindor table coincidentally.

"Hey Blaise." A few Gryffindors who were used to Blaise's presence waved at him. He smiled back and asked them to fetch Professor Snape for him. They reluctantly went up to the head table and called upon the Professor.

"Zabini what have you done this time?" Snape's voice rung around the table nearly shaking it. He was more irritable, if possible, in the morning. He swooped over to Draco and bent down over him. "Stupid boy, you made your own sleeping potion didn't you."

By now a lot of Slytherins had come over to see what was going on. Pansy was quivering over Draco. She didn't see Ginny sitting on the other side of the table conversing with Blaise and Natalie. When Snape managed to take some of the potions effects off of Draco he walked away. Pansy grabbed Draco's hand and began to caress it. As Ginny looked up she saw this show of affection and nearly fell off of her seat laughing. Pansy's eyes shot up and glared at the girl.

"Oh come off it Parkinson." Draco sat bolt right up. He was shaking his head. As he snatched his hand out of Pansy's he banged his elbow off the table. Ginny managed to come over and see what he had done.

"Daft fool." She was chuckling at his stupidity. Offended, he pulled his hand away from her reach, nearly knocking out a first year.

"Daft and Fool mean the same thing twit." He was very groggy. He did not realize that his attempts at insulting Ginny gave her more reason to laugh. As he swung around the table, Madame Pompfrey came over to them.

Upon seeing Blaise and Ginny there she let out a half-hearted laugh. "Best friends now are we? Oh, I'll say this: if you, Mr.Zabini, come to me with an injury I'll expect these two by your side." She bustled through the half-shaped crowd towards Draco. When she gave him a potion he almost let out a sound of pain.

"What the hell is this? It feels like my insides are burning." As soon as she saw his face, Ginny's head shot straight up. She flinched when he complained about the burning.

"Oh no! A Malfoy feeling emotions, and pain nonetheless. The world is ending!" The extremely funny thing about what Blaise had said was the fact that he kept a straight, serious face. It wasn't until he saw Ginny's straight face did he laugh. As he saw her face not falter he reduced his laugh to a chuckle. Her eyes looked like they wanted to tear, but yet they were willed not to. He became silent when she looked down.

"Better Mr.Malfoy? That potion should take away the burning feeling." Madame Pompfrey did not wait for an answer; she just went back to her post. As the crowd thinned out to just Slytherins Ginny got up and walked away. As she did so many people were wondering why. Blaise and her were obviously friends so why didn't she wait for him? They were so going to find out. Their questions were answered when they heard yelling from the hallway. Ginny's voice and that of a male's could be heard.

"You are so ignorant." Ginny's voice gave away the fact she was holding back tears. She croaked, "You and the rest of those pigheaded jerks who are ONLY blood related to me can take your 'concern' and shove it!"

"Ginny, listen to me. You know I am the voice of reason here. I forbid you from-" The male voice sounded young, but also old, maybe a twenty-something man.

"FORBID ME? I cannot believe you Bill Weasley. You are not dad, you have no right. You are so insufferable. If you go within a mile of him or me you will be hexed into oblivion." Ginny's voice had reached it loudest ever. All trace of tears were gone, only rage left.

Draco and Blaise looked at one another and just shot up from their seats and ran into the hallway. It was a good thing they did because Ginny had her wand out and was about to blow away her brother. Draco stood in the doorway thinking. Blaise grabbed Ginny and held her back. She was too quick for him. After releasing herself from his grip she pointed her wand at her brother. This time Draco knew what he had to do. Even though his whole house, hell, the whole school was watching. He walked over to Ginny, making sure he was in her line of fire so she wouldn't curse her brother, and put both of his hands on her wrists.

"Come on pet. No one is trying to be your father he is irreplaceable. I should know that." He let her go and she fell into his chest. She cried and everyone was whispering.

"Oh come off it! You guys think they'd fall for each other? Ha! Malfoy probably doesn't want the ball to be canceled because of this quarrel." Lavender winked at the two as she and Paravati continued speaking loudly. Draco and Blaise took Ginny upstairs.

"And isn't Malfoy's friend, Fire or something, -" Blaise called down his name from the stairs causing a few people to laugh, "-whatever. Malfoys' friend Blaise dating Ginny's pal? Oh yeah I heard Ginny was on for a bloke in Ravenclaw." Paravati who had picked the house name out of a hat did not realize the trouble she would cause Ginny.

"Ugh, McGonagall is late." Draco had repeated this sentence over and over again. He never failed to say it after exactly one minute. Whether this ability was good or bad Ginny could not decide.

"Maybe we were supposed to meet her somewhere else. And Michael is missing so I could be right." Ginny was intensely playing chess with Blaise. "Plus are you really that eager to have detention?"

"I want it over and done with," he turned crimson when Blaise turned to look at him with a knowing glance. He cursed under his breath for revealing so much.

"Well, since you want it over with so quickly Mr.Malfoy you can be the first to help." McGonagall glided in the room in a Prof. Snape kind-of-way. She went into a back room and levitated two cages out. As she did a small tawny cat came out of the room. "This is Isis. She is a very talented magical cat. She is a guardian of magical creatures, or that is what Dumbledore has named her. Her job is to watch over creatures for me and Professor Madison." she drew breath; during the silence she took in the confused looks on the young students faces. "Recently, though, she was injured. The animals she has been assigned to guard remain wild. Your detention duty is to help her out until I return and watch over these."

She unveiled the cages to reveal one eagle in each of them. Ginny stood and was tempted to walk over to the cages. "Professor, they are classified as a level 3 in rareness." She stared at the birds mesmerized.

"Very good Ms.Weasley. Now since there are 2 birds you will have to spilt up into 2 pairs." McGonagall was taking out four right-handed gloves. "Here is a glove for each of you. Oh dear that is right." She put one glove away.

"Professor may I ask where the pra-Michael is?" Blaise was lazily looking at McGonagall. Her face fell as she explained.

"Professor Dumbledore is giving Michael his punishment." She turned to look at Isis. "Isis, be a dear and help these ones." The cat jumped on Blaise's desk and started to butt her face against his. When it was clear she had chosen her partner, Ginny and Draco gave each other a side-glance. Ginny pretended to wince at the idea of working with him and Draco sat oblivious to what was else was happening, he was just too happy. "Well since Isis is fickle, -" a hiss came from the cat to McGonagall, "- you two will have to work together." Her face grimaced as she turned to the two.

"Whatever." Ginny turned to her game and began playing again. McGonagall cleared her throat telling Ginny she had work to do. Draco got up and went over and got two gloves. He threw one over to Ginny and surprisingly she caught it as though she expected him to do it.

"Well lets go then," McGonagall sheepishly replied. She walked towards the doors eyeing Draco and Ginny who were looking at an eagle. She stopped when she reached the doorway as she had remembered something, "Their names are Angel; the one Mr.Zabini is looking at, and Sarouk; the one Ms.Weasley is playing with. Good day."

Ginny looked at the one called Sarouk and put the glove on her hand and raised it, "Come Sarouk I want to meet you." The eagle flew over to her arm and chirped as though talking. "Wow!"

"What, he tells you he's got magic powers." Draco's sarcasism was obvious, but Ginny was used to it by now.

"Yup, that and he is a Legimens." She smirked for all of ten seconds, but hid it. Her eyes glazed over as she concentrated on talking to Sarouk. Draco just sat down on the large windowsill bed and was trying to sleep. Blaise had let Angel out of her cage and was trying to get her to talk to him.

"Hey the cat's a Legimens too." Blaise stated when the cat came up to him. Ginny walked over to the cat with Sarouk. "She said that the birds are like carriers of the stones."

"Hey isn't there that legend with the Stones of the Houses."

"What legend?" asked Draco. Ginny sat down next to Draco and got comfortable to tell the story.

"Well long ago the founders of Hogwarts decided on the points system to determine which house would win the house cup. You know the big hour glasses in the Hall near the Grand Stairs? Well it really isn't sand inside them it is rock fragments. What legends tell us is long ago each founder had a large rock in their rooms that was kind of used for communication. Folk-tales and myths are mingled so no one knows exactly how they were used all anyone knows in that the rocks held a bond between the founders. Each rock was the color of its owners respective house. So when they looked for a way to unite the houses they figured out that they should have some system where each house picks one student to be a House Head student. Then Helga Hufflepuff decided she would break off a piece of her rock that bonded the founders and give it to her House Head. So anyway that tradition caught on, but one day a Gryffindor House Head and a Slytherin House Head were caught in a kiss by their respective houses. A man from Gryffindor stole the Head's rock and threw it at the Slytherin Head and it broke. Well then something amazing happened. Well in a negative sense anyway. The rock in Godric's room shattered. And then the rock in Salazar's room shattered, as in Helga's and Rowena's. The little grains of the rocks were collected and put into hourglasses. They enchanted the hour glasses to work in the system we have them in now. But each kept the largest fragments that was left of the rocks and gave it to an animal in the forest and every year during the summer solstice legends say the rock is passed on to a new animal."

"But why?" asked Draco. He was lying down on Ginny's stomach as she was lying down already.

"Why what?" countered Blaise.

"Why would they give away the largest stone fragments to animals?"

"Well," drawled Ginny, "they reasoned that when the time was right then the stones would return to the students and the system would restart. Only no one knows what Salazar did with his stone because when he left he took his animal with him."

"Wow," said Blaise plainly. They sat like that thinking for a while.

At around 9:00 a brown talon owl came to the classroom window. Ginny put down Sarouk and went over to collect a letter from the owl. Her face light up as she read the letter. She quickly squiggled a reply.

She spoke part of what she was writing. "Dear Sam…love to come over…cant though…tell you later…thanks for the gift…you don't know…the hell…I…have…been… through…. Yours, Ginny." Ginny re-read the letter and after finding it satisfying she gave it to the owl. She sent the owl off and went back over to Sarouk.

"Still talking to Sam?" Blaise eyed her with mock suspicion, watching her as she answered his inquiry.

"Yes. Oh I forgot to tell you didn't I?" Her face grew as she asked.

"Well it would seem so." Blaise dropped his suspicious eye. Draco's eyes, however, were glaring at Blaise for an answer.

"Well he is letting me go over to his house during Easter holidays, but I declined. He might come over for Valentine's too" Her own eyes were scanning the boys. Blaise had lost his enthusiasm and Draco looked stark raving mad. Her face fell for a bit.

"Who is Sam?" Draco tried to hide his anger, but unfortunately when he addressed his question his rage was obvious. He stared at Blaise, to whom he was directing his question. Ginny, mistakenly thought he had asked her.

"He is-," her voice trembled.

"I was asking Blaise." Draco kept his voice down and gritted his teeth as he spoke. He wouldn't look at her.

"Sam's full name is Samson Robertson. His mother is Delilah Robertson, maiden name Prewett. Delilah's father was one Andrew Prewett. Andrew had another daughter named Molly." Blaise's look told Draco that Draco had misheard or not heard enough of the conversation.

"So? I did not ask who his family was." Draco's eyes let their color drain a bit. He gripped on the table for his life. He knew he was going to receive a big blow.

"So, Molly Prewett married Arthur Weasley. They had children. Named Charlie, Bill, Percy, Ron, and Ginny," Ginny answered and her eyes shown with tears. Sarouk jumped onto her shoulder not clawing and not letting Draco out of his sight.

"That means, Jackass, that Sam is Ginny's cousin. Who is 25 and is married to wife April, with 3 kids." Blaise rose. Draco's eyes went completely gray. They all stood in silence. No one dared to move. Ginny felt Sarouk peck her and it seemed as though she was conversing with him. She sat down. Blaise began playing with Isis again while Angel flew around. Draco motioned to leave, but was halted when he ran into something. McGonagall had been in the process of entering the room when the sight of the birds out of theirs cages surprised her.

"Merlin me. They let you keep them out of their cages." She had her right hand over her heart.

"Why wouldn't they?" Ginny looked at McGonagall with a very confused look. Sarouk looked at McGonagall and without remembering his connection to Ginny he spoke using Legimency.

'Alright you old bat you can shut up now.' Sarouk's voice was gentle, but even a delicate voice like his had been able to show its anger.

'Sarouk! What have you been doing? You have been meddling. And I suppose Angel is helping you.' McGonagall's voice was a little high, but that happens to a person when they were as shocked as she was.

'Well, Draco was an ass and made Ginny almost cry. So me and her were plotting ways to get revenge.' Sarouk glared at her. 'Angel is too infatuated with that one to help me.'

'Sarouk! I was not going to take part in the plan and you know it.' Ginny's voice was very stern. She was sick of the bird trying to take charge. McGonagall gave Ginny a look of surprise then ended the Legimency connection between the three of them.

"Well, I do believe that this detention has served its purpose. Please you may leave." As Ginny left Sarouk jumped onto her shoulder and Angel did the same thing to Blaise. Isis was following Draco. When McGonagall realized this she went into an uproar, "No! You three stay! Not you Zabini!"

'Hush. We are on orders from Father.' Angel's voice was the definition of her name, Angelic.

"Oh I am calling Dumbledore right now!" McGonagall waved them to leave and the three animals followed. "They'll be put through hell."

(A/N: BTW I do not like to pester about reviews, but I do feel maybe you should just tell what you think. Remember- A review a day keeps psycho authors away. LOL Raja)


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